I found when I started doing this jumblesale of factoids and tomfoolery that it isn’t easy "blogging" Star Wars toys. I’ve made the reference every now and again that life sometimes gets in the way of toys, and man did that happen. Last week was a flurry of information, and then the weekend hit. Life started its creeping, and I’m resting in bed now with some horrible, inexplicable throat infection, taking steroids and anti-biotics, drinking tea and soup. I haven’t figured out how to use this to lose a few extra pounds, but I will. (The people who know me "in real life" will tell you that any illness must be painful and severe to keep me in bed because ‘evil never rests’.)

I keep getting e-mails asking about the secrecy regarding the BMF Millennium Falcon, and I have no logical answers for any of you. It is what it is. Perhaps she, being considered a character all on her own, doesn’t need advance publicity? Perhaps she was going to be unveiled at a convention? Perhaps she’s being held hostage by Broccoli Spears until she gets her kids back from Pimp Daddy K-Fed? [Blogger's Note: If you don't understand why I keep using the feminine reference to the ship, leave this blog now.]

The Internest, Da Toobs, the Information Age, whatever you call it, it’s an age of sort of cowboy journalism, and yippee ki-yay, I guess. (I just hope nobody actually shoots at me.)

I have to add that Hasbro has had their revenge on me whether they know it or not. You see, I have sworn to myself that I wouldn’t buy any Indiana Jones toys. I think I have a psychological block due to the badly mishandled Kenner line from childhood. However, just yesterday, or so, HasbroToyShop.com, the official Hasbro online toy megastore, they posted pictures of Young Indiana Jones (as played by my childhood idol, the ill-fated River Phoenix). So fine. I’ll buy it. (Actually, I already bought it, I pre-ordered three.) Just don’t make a 12" version or a statue, or I may well snap.

A big group hug and thank you to Arnie and Madge (I just like to call her Madge) who are seriously the cutest, sweetest couple in the Star Wars universe for, like, I dunno… saying nice things about me whilst podcasting Star Wars over at Star Wars Action News. I had the good fortune of finally having time to talk to them at Toy Fair this year, and they’re just charming people who really, really love Star Wars. The gushingly love it.

So since they asked in their podcast, yeah, I’ll wind up buying three or four of the BMF Millennium Falcon for different scenes to play out in random places. (It doesn’t hurt that my house has three levels/floors, being one of those in-town/tall and narrow types, so one for each floor.) The fourth one is probably to cuddle up with at night or something, but, really… my partner might object to the fourth unless we made it into a computer case mod, which would be heresy. Assuming all  we’ve been reporting is accurate, number four will go to my favorite charity, forthekid.org, along with a lot of other Star Wars and Hasbro toys that I donate for the holiday season.

I’ve been trying to find some little nook or cranny in all the photos that forum-dwellers might have overlooked, and believe me, there aren’t many (if any). Collectors do a thorough job of finding the smallest details. I’m really only left with a couple of questions.

First off, the hole under the gunner station. Is that the repair area for R2-D2 and Chewbacca? There’s also the doorway leading to the "engines", and I want to know what’s in there!

Another detail worth noting is that the top gun does seem hinged to flip up and pivot, so while we may not have the "Landovator" we may be able to pop that open and use our imagination a bit. (Or perhaps that’s a future upgrade?)

Readers keep asking, and I really don’t know, whether or not the back "cover" pops off? Only time will tell, but I do hope there’s a little something extra under the hood.

I’m actually fairly confident that the cockpit control is the new pop-out style to make it easier to seat figures of a certain girth or height. (Chewie’s just big-boned.) The little jump seats obviously swivel, but the big question seems to be just whether or not that little door can open. (I say no due to my belief that chubby little fingers would get snagged, and, really, only Leia is small enough to actually get through it without force – or The Force.)

Since no edition of Blogger is fun without being a little childish, I have a message for the parents of America. The box says that the toy is not made for children under three years of age. If your child who is over three years of age cannot carry this cool ship around to "fly" it, s/he is out of shape. Get that child away from the video games, and get him/her outside to get a little bit fit.

When I was just a wee lad I could run down the street with 60% of my Star Wars toys in my arms, slung over my shoulders, and/or stuffed in my pockets. That Rebel Strike Force wasn’t going to mass near Joey’s tree house all on its own.

So don’t think of this as an expensive toy, parents. Think of this as a way to get your kids to get off their overfed backsides, and do something. Spray on the sunblock, and make sure Michael Jackson isn’t lurking around the backyard. (You know he’s shifty, so double check.) Then get that Millennium Falcon flying for all she’s worth.

P.S. Does anyone know where to find this shirt?
P.P.S. Thanks to John Jakab for the answer.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 10:27 am and is filed under Daily Blog, Personality Crisis, Toys. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.